


City Lights and Wild Nights

by misszeldasayre



Category: Avatar (TV), Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Dating, F/F, F/M, Gen, Humor, Post-Avatar: The Legend of Korra, Pro-Bending, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-05
Updated: 2017-11-22
Packaged: 2019-01-09 12:20:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 2,734
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12276351
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/misszeldasayre/pseuds/misszeldasayre
Summary: A series of one-shots focused on Korra, her allies, and their adventures in and out of Republic City. Spans Seasons 1-4 and beyond. Currently, Asami reminds Wu that he doesn't need to fight over Korra... she's already taken.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Set during Season 2 between "Civil Wars: Part 1" and "Part 2."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Boyfriend or slave? Too scared to say no, Bolin lets Eska boss him around… again.

"On your back."

"On my back?" Bolin gulps as Eska advances. "But you're a waterbender! A little puddle shouldn't scare you!"

"Boyfriend, your pleas amuse me. Now carry me."

Resistance is futile. Bolin kneels to allow Eska an easier path onto his back. The unwanted image of Korra mounting Naga flashes before his eyes. Then Eska knees him in the side while she clambers up, and all he can focus on is his throbbing ribs. He supposes she doesn't mean to hurt him… well, not much anyway. So he suppresses a wince, wrapping his arms around his girlfriend's legs.

Desna watches impassively from the street. He has already sidestepped the puddle and waits for his sister on the other side, examining her mount with a vague distaste knitted through his brows. Bolin shivers under his look, his knees groaning while he stands.

"You may walk us through the puddle," Eska says, clutching Bolin's neck too tight for his comfort. He ignores the pinch and steps forward. The top of his boots rise above the water in the road. Was Eska really surprised that the Southern Water Tribe collected a bit of water in its streets?

Crossing the pool takes Bolin half the time that Eska took mounting him. But arguing with her would have quadrupled that time. So Bolin walks until he stands several paces away from the offending puddle. His shoulders ache. He scans the ground— dry. "Hope you enjoyed your ride!"

Before he can bend to let her slide off, Eska laughs mirthlessly. The sound crawls down Bolin's spine. "What do you mean 'enjoyed'?"

"I— uh— There's no more water in the road and—"

"It seems that you're under the impression that this ride is over. Onward, my uncultured buffalo deer."

Bolin is sweating now, something he never thought possible in the cold of the South Pole. "This is not how I pictured I'd be spending my Saturday night," he chuckles nervously, flinching as Eska tugs on his shirt collar.

"Faster, my feeble turtle duck," she commands.

Bolin is suddenly very glad that Mako is not here to see him like this. Reduced to a steed. He can practically hear Mako's groan of dismay in his head… Or is that the sound of his knees giving out?

Eska digs her heels into his stomach and Bolin grits his teeth. "Yes, my… scary ice princess."

When Eska suggests that he also carry Desna on his front, koala otter style, Bolin reminds himself for the sixtieth time that evening that he needs to break up with her soon. Then when he imagines telling Eska no, he decides that giving the twins a ride around the village doesn't sound so bad.


	2. The Match

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tahno and Wu argue over Korra as they watch her compete in a pro-bending match.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Set a few years after the end of Season 4.

"Shiro Shinobi here, covering the annual Charity Bowl! Tonight, fan favorites the Fire Ferrets face off against the Ember Island Eel Hounds! Playing for the Ferrets, we have brothers Mako and Bolin returning with Avatar Korra to round out their team."

The ache Tahno feels watching pro bending matches has dulled over the years. Now he's nearly able to enjoy them. His court side seat provides an excellent view as the Fire Ferrets walk into the arena. He admires the way the Avatar strides confidently into the ring, the way she acknowledges the crowd's cheers with a nod instead of basking in them like her earthbender teammate. He's got a goofy grin on his face, Tahno notes with disgust.

A voice shrieks in Tahno's ears: "I love you, Korra!" He turns to give the shrill spectator a piece of his mind, and pauses when he's face to face with the former Earth King himself. Who barely notices that Tahno's eyeing him with distaste.

"You know," he begins with a smarmy grin. "She loved me once."

"Who, Korra?" Tahno scoffs. "As if."

"It was my singing that hooked her," Wu brags. "And my charm, of course."

"Really." Flat disbelief is etched across the former bender's face.

"She wanted me, but I had to let her down gently. The pressures of keeping peace among the nations left her with no time for me. I need more attention than that, you know."

"I'm sure you do," mutters Tahno. He swivels forward and focuses on the match at hand. On Korra's elegant waterbending forms, that is. The way she manipulates the stream running between her palms makes his blood run hot. No bender should look that—

Shinobi's commentary blares over the loudspeaker, interrupting the former Wolfbat's train of thought. "The Eel Hounds are backed up to Zone Two, their firebender in the water, and the Fire Ferrets are advancing quickly."

"Go, Korra!" The ear-splitting squeal assaulting Tahno's senses makes his blood boil. He turns again to frown at his noisy neighbor.

Wu merely sighs when he catches Tahno's glare. "Please. As if you're too neat to cheer for the match."

"Look here, sir!" Tahno huffs. "Do you know who I am?"

"Yeah, yeah. You played for the Wolfbats. I used to listen to your matches while my servants reenacted them using a selection of high-quality action figures. Even came to a few of them back in the day."

Something about Wu's tone rubs Tahno the wrong way. "Well, then you'll know that Korra and I spent plenty of time training together. Lots of time."

Wu folds his arms, a scowl spreading across his face. "So you smooched her real good?" Is that despair in his voice?

"Not… exactly," Tahno says. "But if I had made a move…"

"Before you lost your bending, that is."

It's been years since he lost it, and he's heard all the jabs before. Still, Wu's jab knees Tahno in the gut. "She'd still fall for me if I walked up to her right after this match!"

"For a second-tier trombone player stuck playing for weddings? Can't get a record on the radio, huh?"

The ex-monarch isn't holding back, and Tahno's fed up. He shouldn't take the bait; he should refocus his attention on the fight in front of him so that he can soak in Korra's fluid bending, her inevitable victory. This seat cost him a full concert's salary, and he shouldn't waste it. But that infuriatingly smug smile at his elbow… Tahno was never one for self-control outside of the arena.

"Oh, please. An amateur singer like yourself can only dream of booking a wedding gig."

It's no secret that His Former Majesty thought he had a gift for singing. Unfortunately for him, Tahno had heard otherwise, coming from Mako himself. Backstage this evening, the former bodyguard had relayed some harrowing stories about his time in the service of the king when he heard that Wu was coming. Tahno had been sitting with his former Wolfbat teammates, reliving his fighting days as he wished them good luck. The indignant harrumph coming from Wu only confirms the stories from his former bodyguard.

"As a serious musician, I beg to differ—"

"Serious musician, my foot!" Tahno snorts. "You can't sing and you couldn't get Korra to fall for you if you tried."

"I did try." Suddenly plaintive, Wu looks down as his shoulders slump.

"Oh." Tahno's throat dries up. "Well… if it makes you feel any better, Korra's probably forgotten I exist. We haven't spoken since Varrick's wedding. She wouldn't go for a guy like me."

"Darn right she wouldn't!" Tahno and Wu glance at the row behind them where a hunched-over, white-haired woman sits cackling at them. When she looks up to catch her breath, Tahno notices that her eyes are clouded over. "Look at you washed up kids!" she giggles. "Arguing over Korra as if she'd ever fall for you. Settle down! I'm here to watch some bending."


	3. The Surrender

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Asami reminds Wu that he doesn't need to fight over Korra... she's already taken.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A follow up to Chapter 6, "The Fight." Set a few years after Season 4.

After the pro bending match ends with a knockout by the Fire Ferrets, the owner and sponsor of the team, Miss Asami Sato, sidles up to the former Earth Prince, who waits outside the locker room to congratulate his friends.

"So," Asami says. "I heard you and Tahno were arguing over Korra during the match."

Wu has the decency to blush. "Whoa, buddy. We were just appreciating an excellent performance by a bending master."

"Uh huh…" A note of disbelief hangs in the air.

"Wasn't that an incredible finish?" Wu grins, attempting to shift Asami's attention from him.

"It was some match," she smiles, but the way she bares her teeth just a hint too wide reminds Wu that she hasn't forgotten the reason she approached him. "So what are your plans for the rest of the evening? Heading out to dinner? Trying to catch a late night showing of Bolin's newest mover?"

The woman before him sounds almost too casual, but Wu's in no position to question the shift in subject. "You know, I had been hoping that Mako might want to hit the town. It's been so long since we've hung out. Seems like he's always busy with detective work. Never has time to play with me like the good old days."

"That Mako's a busy one." That smile again, all teeth. Wu lets the sentence settle.

Then, as the press of fans grows at Wu and Asami's back, the door to the Fire Ferrets' locker room swings open, and out walks Korra, a bag slung over her shoulder and a polite smile plastered on her face. It grows wide when her eyes fall on Asami. Wu catches the shift, and he's reminded of how ridiculous his squabble with Tahno was. Korra's clearly happy with her girlfriend.

Before the the Avatar reaches Asami and Wu, a woman with a long braid shoves herself in front of Wu, screaming, "I love you, Avatar Korra!"

Korra's face shifts, evidently uncomfortable as the stranger reaches for her. Wu observes as Asami neatly sidesteps the woman and links arms with Korra. Planting a kiss on her girlfriend's cheek, Asami says, "Good job, sweetie," loud enough for everyone to hear. The girl with the braid falls back, disappointment spreading across her face.

"She's really taken," the fan sighs to no one in particular. "What a huge letdown this is for me!"

"I know what that's like," Wu mutters in response.

Asami sweeps Korra towards the door, away from the crowd. "Come on, Wu!" the inventor shouts over her shoulder. "We're meeting Mako and Bolin outside."

The crowds follow the prince and his friends outside, chattering at Korra, who looks rather overwhelmed by the whole affair. Wu thinks of singing— for some reason, whenever he breaks into song, people move away in droves. But Asami knows how to drive away the admirers.

"I'm so proud of my girlfriend!" Asami giggles, all light and romance. As the inventor leans in for a kiss, Korra visibly relaxes and the crowds slowly dissipate. As he watches the two of them, Wu remembers just whose job it is to fight for Korra. The Avatar's in good hands.


	4. The Zoo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Asami takes Korra on a date.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Set a year after Season 4 ends.

The 75th anniversary of the renovation of the Ba Sing Se Zoo is a swanky affair. Only the biggest donors are invited, so it's no wonder that Asami scores an invitation.

"Since when do you donate to the zoo?" Korra teases as she slips on a blue shift.

"Since Future Industries fell into my hands." Asami sounds a bit smug, eyeing her girlfriend. "Now, do you want to be my date tonight or not?"

Panic flitters across Korra's face. "There's no way I'm missing the anniversary exhibit! Besides, you'll get stuck with Mako if you don't take me."

"Never again," Asami winks, leaning in for a kiss.

* * *

After Asami hands off the keys to her Satomobile to the gangly valet, she links arms with Korra and sweeps her into the zoo. Tiny lightbulbs are strung across the earthen walls, illuminating the animals' pens in the twilight. "Romantic," Asami hints, wrapping her arm tighter around Korra.

"Exciting!" she responds, tugging Asami towards the central enclosure.

Crowds have already formed around the pen, businesspeople and actresses and politicians. Asami's at ease— these are her people, this is her circle. The sight of so many inquisitive faces unsettles Korra, but she's growing used to the stares she and Asami receive together in public. Whether they stem from their reputations as the Avatar and CEO of Future Industries, or from their relationship, Korra can't tell. But tonight, she'll endure the press of the masses in order to see the panda bear.

While promoting this event, Ba Sing Se Zoo revealed that they managed to breed a panda bear. Not a panda rabbit or a moose bear, but a panda bear. "Similar to Bosco, our former king's favored pet, but in black and white!" the headlines promised.

When Korra pushes through the crowd and peeks into the cage, she finds herself face to face with a furry, white… bear. Its black eyes peer at Korra helplessly. Something familiar floats around this animal… Has she seen it in the spirit world? In another life?

When Asami pulls Korra away from the exhibit, she notices the distressed look in Korra's eyes. "I don't like seeing it captive," Korra whispers. "Just something in its eyes…"

Asami sighs. "Are we going to…?"

"Can we? As long as no one gets in its path, everyone should be safe… It seems gentle enough. We could guide it through the Outer Rim and outside the Outer Wall."

Asami sighs again. "Give me a few minutes to distract the guests, and you'll have a clear shot."

"I love you, you know that?"

"Of course!"

When Miss Asami Sato faints by the tigerdillo cage a few moments later, most of the guests rush to her aid. She is the CEO of Future Industries after all. No one notices a slight figure bending the earth cage back into the earth and guiding the panda away from the zoo to freedom.


	5. The Dress

Pema's dress used to be teal, vibrant like Tenzin's eyes. Now it's the murky brown of infant vomit. Using one hand to cradle Rohan is tricky enough as is. Yet she can't put him down now, not when he's not quite asleep. So she wipes off the vomit as best as she can with a baby blanket and her free hand, but just rubs the mess in deeper, spreading the stain.

"I was going to wear that tonight for your daddy," Pema sighs ruefully as she rocks Rohan lets the stain sink in. "Looks like you might be the last airbender that this family produces." Rohan's eyelids droop in reply.

In reality, Pema doesn't know if he'll bend air the way his siblings do. He's only shown a propensity for taking long naps and projectile vomiting on his mother. Impressive skills for such a small child, but nothing that suggests a tendency for airbending.

As she bends over to place Rohan in his cradle so she can change her dress, a pair of arms wraps around her waist and draws a shriek from her. The sound startles the baby, but miraculously, he only stirs briefly before continuing to nap. 

Pema whirls to face Tenzin, who embraces her. "You're wearing that dress," he says gruffly, some of his usual formality leaving as he blushes. Normally, his wife would welcome such a comment, but today her arms throb and her dress reeks of mashed carrots. Regurgitated mashed carrots. 

"Rohan spit up again."

Tenzin's eyes widen. "A champion puker, that one."

"He puts Meelo to shame." Pema cracks a smile, some of her tension easing. She examines the silky teal fabric with a groan. "Time to change out of this dress."

Tenzin's eyes widen again. "I concur."

A flustered Tenzin is a sweet Tenzin, and also an amusing one. Despite her exhaustion, Pema chuckles.

"You know," he begins, stroking his beard absentmindedly. "Korra doesn't have plans tonight. Maybe she could take the kids out tonight and we could have a quiet evening in? I'll cook up dinner, maybe crack open a bottle of sake… You'll have a chance to relax."

Pema's surprised, this coming from the man busy juggling his responsibilities as a councilman of Republic City and the last airbending master. Free time for just the two of them is so rare. She nods eagerly. The idea of just the two of them, Rohan fast asleep and the other children safe with Korra, relaxes Pema more than any nap could. "Yes please!" she agrees, and Tenzin bustles off to make arrangements with Korra. 

_Oh, teal dress,_ Pema grins. _You've done it again._


End file.
